Lobelia plant named Sunlobe Torebu

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Sunlobe Torebu’, characterized by its outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; relatively large dark violet blue-colored flowers with white-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lobelia erinus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNLOBE TOREBU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant, botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunlobe Torebu’.

The new Lobelia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new outwardly spreading, freely-branching and bushy Lobelia plants with large attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Lobelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2010 of a proprietary selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code number 10Lob28A-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code number 10Lob28A-2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lobelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the Lobelia plant by vegetative cuttings in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since April, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lobelia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunlobe Torebu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunlobe Torebu’ as a new and distinct Lobelia plant:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Relatively large dark violet blue-colored flowers with         white-colored centers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more freely branching than         plants of the parent selections.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia have shorter internodes and are         denser than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of Lobelia erinus ‘Lobetis’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,112. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Lobelia differed from plants of ‘Lobetis’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more outwardly spreading than         and not as upright as plants of ‘Lobetis’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia were more vigorous than plants of         ‘Lobetis’.     -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Lobetis’.     -   4. Plants of the new Lobelia and ‘Lobetis’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Lobetis’ had dark blue-colored flowers with         white-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lobelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Lobelia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunlobe Torebu’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunlobe Torebu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lobelia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus ‘Sunlobe Torebu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia             erinus identified as code number 16Lob28A-1, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia             erinus identified as code number 10Lob28A-2, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; relatively dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Outwardly spreading plant habit;             freely branching habit with lateral branches developing at             potentially every node; dense and bushy plant habit;             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 64 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 33 cm. Diameter:             About 1.7 mm. Internode length: About 3.2 cm. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Aspect: Outwardly spreading. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 138A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblong.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137D tinged with close to 176B; venation, close to 138C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement, habit and shape.—Flowers typically             arranged in terminal and lateral racemes; flowers face             mostly outwardly to slanting downward; freely flowering             habit with about six flowers per inflorescence and about 310             flowers developing per plant; flowers bilabiate with two             upper petals and three larger lower petals.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—In Japan, plants of the new             Lobelia flower continuously from May until October; early             flowering habit, plants begin flowering about three to four             weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual             flowers is highly dependent on temperature, flowers             typically last about 10 to 14 days on the plant; flowers             persistent.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 10 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.8 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 4.3 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 3.9 mm.             Shape: Club-shaped. Color: Close to N89A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals fused             towards the base; two upper petals and three larger lower             petals. Upper petals: Length, beyond throat: About 8.9 mm.             Width: About 2.3 mm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Lower petals: Length, beyond throat: About 9.3 mm. Width:             About 6.2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper petals: When opening, upper surface: Close to darker             than 94A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 94B. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 94A; color becoming closer             to 91A with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 94B; color becoming closer to 91A with development.             Color, lower petals: When opening, upper surface: Close to             darker than 94A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 94B.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 94A; color becoming             closer to 91A with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 94B; color becoming closer to 91A with development.             Color, throat, upper and lower petals: Close to NN155C;             spots, close to N88A; nectar guides, close to 154B. Color,             tube, upper petals: Close to N89A. Color, tube, lower             petals: Close to NN155C with longitudinal lines, close to             94B; towards the base, close to 94B.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at             the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 5.1 mm. Width:             About 1.1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 137C; towards             the apex, tinged with close to 86A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 137B tinged with close to 86A. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 137B. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 137B tinged with close to 86A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 137C tinged with close to 79B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Stamen length: About 7.9 mm. Anther size: About 1 mm by             2.3 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther color: Close to N89D.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4C. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 9.2 mm.             Stigma shape: Bi-lobate. Stigma color: Close to 86A. Style             color: Close to 144D. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Lobelia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 28° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named ‘Sunlobe Torebu’ as illustrated and described. 